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Breastfeeding
jgilesslp
member
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BF vs. EP vs. formula
jgilesslp
member
I have had a hard time breastfeeding. My lactation consultant said more so than most and even said "we can't always fix everything." She even seems to be losing hope! My milk didn't come in right away, then DS wouldn't latch, then I was producing too much milk then my supply dropped off twice. Now, I need a nipple shield because she thinks my let down is too fast and I am "drowning him" which is why I am having problems lately. I can't feel him breastfeed now with the shield and surprisingly I miss that. I also have to pump after every feed to try to keep supply up since the shield can drop it and my supply dropped twice already without the shield. I am beginning to feel like this is all too much. I want to BF as I know it is best for baby but it seems like a constant uphill battle. I know 12 months is best for BF but is there a shorter time that is consider "better than nothing." Also, anyone doing exclusive pumping and working "on the go" and making it work. Sigh...I am beginning to lose hope.
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Re: BF vs. EP vs. formula
have you tried expressing some milk first... get one let down out of the way, then recline back and nurse dc... the position helps when you have a heavy letdown.
a. your lc should never "lose hope." find another support group, (local LLL? another lc?)
b. my lc's first rule of thumb was "the mother is always right." when it comes to bf vs ep vs ff.
c. sanity is best.
That being said, it took my dd over 2 1/2 m to latch effectively, she was four months before she started nursing out of the bathtub (we would get in the tub together, I'd recline back and she would attempt to latch... also great b/c she could pull away from that first letdown, I'd squirt all over in the tub, and then she'd latch and eat .. she had an issue with a receding chin and tiny mouth.. she was tiny at birth and still is). Anyway, she eventually nursed full time and nursed until she was 13 months old. Just take it day by day. If you are too stressed out, then pump and bottle feed and try next time. A relaxed mommy helps more than an upset crying mommy.. I know, I was the latter with my first baby. I cried so many tears over this. With my ds, I just said, whatever happens happens.... he got it within about a month. The first month or two are the hardest.
(((hugs)))
I don't think I've ever heard of using a nipple shield to help with an overactive letdown. If it's screwing up your supply and making you have to pump extra, it doesn't seem to make sense to keep using it.
The things that helped with my oversupply and letdown issues were block feeding- I only do one side at a time. Reclining while feeding helps, and I also pumped off a half ounce to an ounce before feeding. That got me through the worst of the letdown, and DD could then feed without gagging and choking. It didn't take long until DD could handle the flow- she was only a few weeks older than your DS when I could stop pumping before feeding her.
I'd first try to find a new LC. It sounds like it's still fixable to be able to BF.
I EP and teach school. So I have a VERY structured schedule during the week, and I've made it work. I've been back to work since the last week of October. I bought 2 hands free bras and a car adapter for my PISA. The hands free part is my best tip. Here's how my day goes when I work:
I get up at 5 and pump for 30 minutes. I get ready for work. I pump while driving to school (I have a hooter hider too); it takes me 20 minutes to get to school. I arrive at school around 7. I usually unhook while I'm sitting in traffic around the school. I can do this without looking under my hooter hider. Our lunch is at 10. I pump for 15-20 minutes of it, and join my colleagues for the last 5 minutes or so for some "adult" time. School lets out around 2; I leave at 3. I would pump during my planning period, but that is 1st bell and I've just pumped twice in 2.5 hours. I pump while driving home so I don't have to pump when I get there, and by that point I desperately need relief (it's been almost 5 hours!). I then pump once during the early evening (usually between 6 and 7), and once before I go to bed around 10:30. Yes, I can function on about 6.5 hours of sleep and DS STTN so that helps quite a bit. That gives me 6 pumps/day. If DS seems to need more that day, I try to pump at 5:30 and 8 to try to get a little more milk. DH works from home most of the time, so I don't have to get DS from MIL's.
For us, EPing works. At first it was a ton of work because I didn't produce enough and we had to supplement. Now that I'm beating DS by about a bottle's worth each day, it is much better. I only really have one pump when I'm home that annoys me (the evening one). This is only because I'd rather be able to spend the time with DH/DS when I'm not tied to a pump. However, DH and I both prefer for DS to have BM, and BFing did not work out for us. EPing is definitely cheaper than formula in the long run (premade formula would run us about $30/week). The pump was $280; I spent $45 on pumping bras, $20 on a car adapter; $10 on a hooter hider; $5 on extra pumping bottles; ??? dollars on storage bags... but still-- that adds up to about $450-$500 which is way cheaper than probably $1000 to formula feed DS. Plus, DS is still getting almost all of the nutrients and antibodies that a BF'd baby gets. Oh, and did I mention less stinky poops????
Another benefit of EPing besides the fact that anyone can feed DS, I am able to feed him more at a time. I honestly believe part of the reason DS STTN is because he will take 8 ozs before he goes to bed. I don't think this would be the case if he were BF'd. DH and I prefer the EPing at this point in time, and I've adjusted my life to pumping.
Sorry this is so long, but I hope it helps!
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anything is better than nothing.
congrats for making it through so many uphill battles. i swear it is always something.
i EP- while it is a lot of work- it is worth it to me. there are plenty of women on here that EP. EPing has several battles too- not easy at all.
i would give it a little more time with BFing and see how it goes. once your milk regulates life gets a lot better and everything seems easier- GL
Basically ditto to this. Try to deal with the oversupply by block feeding, and soon your DC will be able to latch (I've been there - it didn't get perfect immediately, but you will make it through). I work full-time, so I pump for daycare milk. I pump twice a day while at work, go to his daycare to nurse him at lunch, and also pump right before I go to bed and just after he finishes nursing in the morning. This gets me more than enough for both daycare and the milk that I mix into his solids now.
You can do it! I vote to ditch the nipple shield and get back to the nursing that you love by trying to deal with the oversupply until your DC can handle it.